New facility opens at National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci in Milan

MILAN, Italy, Nov. 17, 2021 – PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the opening of an interactive chemistry laboratory at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. PPG helped fund the design and renovation of the laboratory as well as its equipment and content development as part of a $290,000 (€250,000) grant to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in Italy.

Under the guidance of expert researchers, the laboratory provides primary, secondary and high school students and their families and teachers with opportunities for informal learning through dedicated educational activities focused on chemistry. It is one of 14 specially designed interactive spaces in the museum, which is recognized throughout Europe for its leadership role in STEM education. 

"We truly value the support of PPG in our work to create an innovative laboratory design and training resources that help people, particularly the younger generations, develop a positive relationship with the sciences,” said Fiorenzo Galli, general director of the museum. “With the laboratory dedicated to chemistry, it is possible to build a new relationship with this scientific field, favoring an intuitive, relational and creative vision of science in connection with the surrounding world. It is a fundamental service for schools, universities and business.”

PPG spent more than 680 hours carrying out a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project to beautify the laboratory using 165 liters of donated SIGMA™ coatings by PPG. The museum’s staff spent an additional 1,515 hours to develop the educational content for the laboratory.

The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world, such as in Milan and Quattordio, Italy, where PPG has production facilities for its refinish coatings and automotive OEM businesses.

PPG started its collaboration with the museum in 2016. Projects have included “Speed Date,” where students could ask questions and receive advice from PPG chemistry experts; “Night at the Museum,” which provided young children with the opportunity to play the role of scientific investigators as they explored the museum’s exhibits with their parents; and “Introduction to Science,” where nearly 500 secondary school students and their teachers participated in special lessons at the museum’s chemistry and physics lab.

"We are very proud to be an active part in this STEM project alongside such an important scientific and educational institution as the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci,” said Andrea Giunta, PPG vice president, science and technology, color. “We hope that this educational resource will bring children closer to the discovery of science, intrigue adults and surprise enthusiasts.”

The Colorful Communities program, PPG’s signature initiative for supporting communities, aims to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. Through the Colorful Communities program, PPG’s committed volunteers contribute their time and PPG paint products to help transform community assets – from painting classrooms, to bringing color to a maternity ward and redesigning a playground. Since 2015, PPG has completed more than 330 Colorful Communities projects, impacting more than 6.7 million people in 42 countries.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $13 million in 2020, supporting hundreds of organizations across more than 30 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today’s skilled workforce and develop tomorrow’s innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at www.ppgcommunities.com.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $13.8 billion in 2020. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and Colorful Communities and the PPG logo are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

Sigma is a trademark of PPG Coatings Nederland B.V.

PPG Media Contact: 

Andrew Wood
Corporate Communications EMEA
+31 6 5121 6579
awood@ppg.com
www.ppg.com